Exercising apparatus



R. F. BERRY 2,759,730

EXERCISING APPARATUS Aug. 21, 1956 Filed Nov. 20, 1953 INVENTOR. 20/3627 FEANC/fi BEEEY ATTOENE 7 United States Patent EXERCISING APPARATUS Robert Francis Berry, Cleveland, Ohio Application-November 2.0, 1953,5efia1No. 393,459

1 Claim. (Cl. 272-58) This invention relates to exercising apparatus andparticularly to an exercising seat.

This invention is intended especially to reduce abdominal girth, but in so doing exercises all the muscles of the body, with the result of eliminating adipose tissue wherever undesirably found, with the further result of toning up the entire system.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide apparatus that will afford means for exercising the muscles of the neck, arms, torso, hips, thighs, lower legs and toes.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the type stated that can be easily used in the home or office.

A further object is to provide such apparatus that can be easily and quickly dismanteled for compact storage when not in use.

Still another object is to provide an exercising seat that is simple and rugged in structure, pleasing in appearance, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claim, together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the exercising apparatus that is the subject of this invention, showing the adjustable elements in alternate positions and also showing how it appears with a person seated thereon;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the device in a substantially disassembled condition; and

Figure 3 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of the Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the Figure l of the drawing, there is seen the exercising apparatus that is the subject of this invention, broadly indicated by the reference numeral 10.

The exerciser comprises a pair of base members 11 and 12, a seat support 17, a seat 20, an antitilt member 14 and a foot support 15.

In its preferred form, as illustrated, the seat support 17 is formed from a single length of one inch chrome plated steel tubing, bent upon itself to provide an upper U-shaped portion adapted to support the seat 20 and two vertically depending U-shaped end portions having horizontally extending sleeves 18 and 19 welded to the lower legs thereof. The base members 11 and 12 are preferably fabricated from straight solid bar stock of circular cross section and each has a button or boss 13 on its surface which serves as a means for locating the bars 11 and 12 when they are passed through the sleeves 18 and 19 of the seat support 17. When so positioned in the sleeves, the bars 11 and 12 are connected together by means of the seat support 17 and provide a base for supporting the seat support 17 in an upright position. The buttons 13 on each bar, 11 and 12 respectively, abut the sleeves 18 and 19 respectively, and when so located, insure that the bars 11 and 12 are similarly positioned relative to the seat support 17.

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Reference numeral 14' indicates an antitilt member fabricated from a single length of tubular stock bent in a U-shape with straight side legs 30 and31 that are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the base members 11 and 12 when positioned through the seat support sleeves 18' and 19'. The internal diameter ofthe tubing being such that the legs 30 and 31 will snugly engage the base members in a free sliding telescopic fit. The member 14 so fitted over the base members 11 and 12 may be moved toward or away from the seat support 17- for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the distance that the base extends to the rear of the seat support 17, as seen in Figure 1, wherein the alternate position of the anti-tilt member is indicated by the reference numeral 14a.

Reference numeral 15 indicates a U-shaped foot support also fabricated from a single length of tubular stock and having two straight legs 32 and 33 joined by a foot bar 16. The legs 32 and 33 are spaced apart so that they may be telescopically fitted over the forward ends of the base members 11 and 12 respectively. The foot support 15 is bent upwardly at its central portion so that the foot bar 16 is positioned above the horizontal plane of the legs 32 and 33 a distance sufficient to permit the feet of the user to be slipped under the bar 16 with the toes engaged with the forward face thereof, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The foot support 15 is slidable on the forward portion of the bars 11 and 12, relative to the seat support 17, to take the alternate positions indicated by the reference numerals 15a and 16a, depending upon the leg length of the user.

Reference numeral 20 indicates a seat having a padded upper surface 27 and dependent locating pins 21, 22 and 23 positioning on the under side thereof. These pins are spaced to match the spacing of holes 24, 25 and 26 drilled through the seat support 17 and defining pin receiving sockets; the pins being long enough to extend through the tubing when the seat 20 is positioned thereon, as seen in Figure 3.

Reference numerals 28 and 29 indicate cleats on the under side of the seat spaced outwardly of the seat support 17 and serving as hand grips for a person sitting on the seat 20.

The anti-tilt member 14 and the foot support 15 are held in their set positions on the base bars 11 and 12 by the weight of the bars and the person seated on the seat 20. No locking or clamping means are required. When assembled, as outlined hereinabove, the structure acts as a single unit that is rugged and impossible to tip in a fore and aft direction, thereby lending itself to the safe performance of all types of bending, stretching and pushing exercises.

In use, the operator hooks his toes underneath the foot bar 16, which consequently forms a foot rest or grip, and sits himself upon the seat 20, preferably with his arms folded so that his entire weight is supported without the use of the arms. Then the operator sways forwardly and baekwardly, as shown by full lines and by broken lines respectively in Figure 1, to exercise the muscles of the legs, stomach and back, as in rowing a boat.

If desired to use the apparatus as a push-up bar, the seat 20 may be lifted from the seat support 17 and the two sides of the support 17 used as hand grips.

It will be appreciated that by sliding the anti-tilt member 14 and foot support 15 off the base bars 11 and 12, and, in turn withdrawing the base bars from the seat support sleeves 18 and 19, the device may be entirely disassembled and compressed into a small package. The device in its knocked down condition may be stored out of the way in a small apartment or ofiice where a fixed structure would not be practical because of the lack of storage space for same when not in use.

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it s to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An exercising apparatus, comprising in combination, a pair of transversely spaced base members, each of said members comprising a straight bar; a seat support disposed transversely between said base members, comprising a single triple U-shaped rigid tube having a central rearwardly disposed U-shaped portion terminating in dependent forwardly disposed U-shiaped portions on either end thereof, said dependent U-shaped portions having hor- 4 izontally extending terminal sleeves engageable with said base members; and U-shaped rigid tubular tilt-resisting member disposed transversely between said base members and telescopically engaged therewith rearwardly of the seat support; an U-shaped rigid tubular foot support transversely disposed between said base members and having it mid-section bent upwardly at a height sufiicient to slide the feet of the user thereunder, telescopically engaged with the base members forwardly of the seat support; and a flat seat member mounted on said seat support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,362,111 Burns Nov. 7, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 360,041 Great Britain 1931 496,740 Great Britain 1937 

